Israel Today: Ongoing War Report - Update from 2026-05-09 at 17:01

HEADLINES
Secret Iraqi outpost backs Israel’s Iran campaign
Iran warns US bases after tanker attacks
US damages four Iranian tankers in Gulf

The time is now 5:01 PM in New York, I'm Noa Levi and this is the latest Israel Today: Ongoing War Report.

In Direct Israel-Iran Clashes, details emerge of a secret outpost Israel built in a remote Iraqi desert to support its air campaign against Iran. The base was established just before Operation Roaring Lion began in February and served as a logistics hub for the Israeli Air Force, housing special forces and positioning search-and-rescue teams in case pilots were shot down over enemy territory. A March incident in which a local shepherd reported unusual activity led the Iraqi army to respond with airstrikes, drawing Baghdad’s condemnation and a formal complaint to the United Nations; US forces were not involved, according to officials. A separate account emphasizes that the outpost hosted commando-trained units and was meant to ensure rapid rescue near the battlefield, though five weeks of fighting passed without any Israeli pilot needing rescue. Additionally, an assessment by the Institute for Science and International Security found that Israel and the United States focused on degrading Iran’s weaponization capabilities rather than its enrichment sites, targeting facilities such as Min Zadai and Taleghan 2, with Min Zadai described as a partially underground center involved in metallurgy for nuclear cores.

In Iranian Retaliation, Tehran’s Revolutionary Guards issued a formal warning that any attack on Iranian oil tankers will be answered with strikes on American military bases. Iran’s IRGC Navy echoed the warning, stating that any attack on Iranian oil tankers will provoke heavy retaliation against US bases and ships throughout the region, and that attacks on Iranian vessels will be met with responses targeting US bases or proxies and regional ships.

In US Military Role, satellite imagery indicates four Iranian oil tankers have been damaged and immobilized by US forces in the Gulf, near the Jask Strait in southern Iran close to the blockade area. Some of the vessels were seen on fire and leaking oil, with an additional tanker about seven kilometers from its mooring also leaking, as part of broader pressure on Iran’s exports.

In the Conflict with Iran and its Regional Proxies, the Israeli Air Force recently intercepted a suspicious aerial target identified in the area where IDF forces operate in southern Lebanon, and no alerts were activated at the time of the intercept.

In US Policy Concerning Israel, observers say a possible agreement between the United States and Iran could leave Israel facing a worst-case scenario, as Iran signals its willingness to end the war before the major global event next summer by participating in the World Cup in the United States. Washington’s approach and guarantees appear to differ from Israel’s aims, and domestic political dynamics in both countries complicate the landscape as ceasefire considerations persist and diplomatic efforts continue.

In Israeli Domestic Politics, former prime minister Ehud Barak warned on a public interview that if Netanyahu appears five days before the elections to be losing, he would move to start a war.

Thank you for tuning in to this Israel Today: Ongoing War Report update.
I'm Noa Levi. Stay safe and informed.
Keep in mind that this AI-generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult multiple sources for a comprehensive view. Find the code and more details in the podcast description.

SOURCES
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-895621
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/09/report-israel-built-secret-base-deep-inside-iraq-before-iran-war/
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/iran-news/article-895615
https://t.me/hnaftali/22983
https://t.me/selena_updates/63527
https://t.me/beholdisraelchannel/76095
https://t.me/abualiexpress/122028
https://t.me/newssil/201259
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/05/09/trump-iran-deal-could-leave-israel-facing-worst-case-scenario/
https://t.me/newssil/201256